Hyperandrogenic athletes: performance differences in elite-standard 200m and 800m finals

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Endocrinology
• Human Performance

Background:

• Hyperandrogenism in female athletes is a subject of debate regarding its impact on athletic performance.
• Regulations concerning hyperandrogenism in sports aim to ensure fair competition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if hyperandrogenism significantly alters elite female track and field performance compared to non-hyperandrogenic athletes.
• To assess if performance differences align with established gender-based performance gaps (10-12%) or regulatory thresholds (3%).

Main Methods:

• Analysis of publicly available performance data from elite female athletes with hyperandrogenism (Caster Semenya, Dutee Chand).
• Comparison of their race times against characteristic performances in elite 200m and 800m finals.
• Statistical comparison of performance differences relative to predicted times and second-place finishers.

Main Results:

• Caster Semenya's performance was 1.24%-1.49% faster than predicted 800m finals times, and 0.65%-2.08% faster than the second-place finisher.
• Insufficient data prevented conclusions regarding Dutee Chand's performance impact.
• The performance difference observed did not meet the 3% threshold set by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Conclusions:

• The performance advantage of the studied hyperandrogenic athletes is minimal and does not reach the 3% threshold for regulatory intervention.
• The findings suggest that hyperandrogenism, in the cases examined, does not create a performance gap comparable to the typical 10-12% difference between elite male and female athletes.